Music of the Soul
by Amiyrasmom
Summary: I've read a few of these crossovers and I really liked the idea so I wrote my own. Riddick knows River from the Academy and has fallen in love with her but that isn't good for the bad guys so they take him away and tell her he's dead. She can't find his mind and so she believes them. One year later Simon rescues her and they find Riddick on Serenity. Let me know what you think.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Riddick is not mine…unfortunately. Been a Vin Diesel fan from his very first movie. I also don't own Firefly. Latecomer on that one as I've only discovered it this past year. Anyway, they belong to their various writers, producers and all those other legal type people, I only get to play with them for the moment.**

**A/N: I have not seen the newest Riddick movie. So obviously this story isn't going to follow that story line. Duh. So the premise is that Vaako knows that Riddick is unhappy being the Lord Marshall so he gets proactive and drops Riddick off in a system of planets that the Necromongers have left alone. Vaako is unaware of exactly what the Blue Sun Corporation intends for Riddick and has faith that if it is something bad then Riddick is fully capable of getting himself out. Vaako ****_does not_**** intend for any harm to come to his friend and Lord Marshall he's just trying to help. Once in the hands of the Blue Sun Riddick meets River and falls hard for her. The rest of what happens to them will be in the story and I'm hoping it captures your attention enough that you're willing to wait for the answers. A story is no fun if you know all the details before you turn a page. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!**

**Music of the Soul**

**Prologue**

"Sir?" The voice was hesitant and Vaako frowned before turning to regard his subordinate. "Are you sure this is the best idea?"

Vaako sighed gustily and shook his head before returning his attention to the bound, gagged and drugged man at his feet. "Yes," he said softly. "The Riddick has no desire to lead us. Yet…he is a good man. I refuse to kill him even though our faith calls for it. He has been…a friend." Vaako crouched down beside the shorter man's form and tested the chains. "He searches for that which we do not possess. We will leave him here and continue on our journey to the Underverse."

The Lieutenant cocked his head to the side and considered the bound Lord Marshall. "He has been…discontent. Perhaps you are right, Lord Vaako. Perhaps it is better for all of us to part company here. Though…we will have to leave this system alone if we do not want to face his retribution."

Vaako loosed a sardonic chuckle. "Indeed. Retribution would be swift and deadly. We can afford to leave this system alone." He rose gracefully to his feet as the shuttle sensors beeped an incoming message. "Come," he motioned the Lieutenant to the screen. "We shall leave him in safe hands." _I hope._

Vaako stared down at his friend and leader as he absently listened to the Lieutenant's conversation with the Blue Sun operative. The Riddick may not thank him for this deception but it was necessary. He would understand one day.

"Sir," the Lieutenant called. "The operative is prepared to receive the Riddick…er, they call him the package sir. I am uncertain…"

Vaako waved a hand negligently and nodded. "It will be fine. The Riddick is strong. Should they put him in a cage he will simply break out. Be at ease, Lieutenant, did he not stride directly into our citadel and then manage to escape us?"

The Lieutenant nodded with a small, serene smile. "He did. Very well, my Lord, they are ready for him. Shall I send-?"

"I'll take care of it," Vaako interrupted. He crouched next to Riddick again. "Good-bye and good luck, my friend," he said lowly. "May your enemies fall to your blade and may you find the home you seek."

Vaako stood and closed the airlock doors. The Blue Sun operative had specified that no one be in the airlock with the Riddick while they retrieved him. They requested that no one even watch and Vaako had acquiesced though he had no intention of actually doing it. The small peep hole he'd drilled himself gave him enough of a view and would be repaired easily before they left the planet's atmosphere.

The two men who arrived sent a shiver down Vaako's spine. Dressed in suits and blue gloves they had an unnaturalness to their movements and a cold dead look in their eyes. Maybe this hadn't been the best idea after all. They seemed to be unaware of him. He only drew a breath after they had collected the Riddick and resealed the airlock after themselves. "Peace and happiness, Richard," Vaako breathed out.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

**Two years later…**

Silence. Complete silence and the smell of chemicals. There was no lingering trace of her scent. She was just…gone. Everyone was gone. The entire complex felt abandoned and disused. If he thought about it he'd have been startled that the place could become so in the month he'd been absent. But he wasn't thinking about it. He wasn't actually thinking at all.

He was hunting. There had to be some trace of her. There had to be something left behind so that he could track her.

He stood motionless in the doorway of what had been their "room". He'd always preferred to call it a cell. Cameras covering every angle, glass walls to the hallway. And yet…he'd been borderline content even with the lack of privacy. There was nothing here now. Nothing but for the holes they had punched through the walls on either side of the room when they'd been sparring.

Her scent had been eradicated by some chemical or other. The bastards had taken her and bugged out. They knew he was still alive. And they feared he'd come back for her. They were right to fear. He was going to kill them all. "I will find you," he muttered darkly to the empty room. "I will find you and you will all pay in blood for the pain you've caused."

He took one last look at the tiny room that had once held the only piece of his heart he'd ever had and then walked away. The hallways echoed with only the sound of his footsteps.

Slowly the echoes faded away leaving only the dust and the ring of dark promises in the air.

"If I have to burn the 'Verse, I'll find you, my own. And then we'll kill them all."

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

**Later that week…**

The bar was noisy but he didn't mind the influx of sensation. It dulled the pain just enough to make it bearable. The alcohol wasn't bad either.

A commotion a few places down drew his attention. "Toast!" A male voice shouted loudly. "All ya'll shut up! I'ma callin' fer a toast!"

Riddick grunted and turned back to his whiskey. The only toasts he made were to his girl. An anticipatory stillness towards the back caught his attention and he stared at the trio playing some card game from the corner of his eye.

"Five years ago on this day the Alliance routed the Independents!" Riddick tilted his head and frowned. What the hell was the Alliance? "Them damned Independents ran like the cowards they is! To the Alliance!" The burly, unwashed man three stools down from Riddick lifted his mug and downed the contents. Most of the bar followed his lead and a table full of military looking men hooted and clapped.

"Unification Day!" Nearly everyone yelled. Riddick eyed the soldiers with distaste. If they were what the man had meant about the Alliance then he had no intention of ever toasting them. He knew those uniforms. He'd seen them often enough at the Facility with his girl. They were part of the problem and he'd be more than happy to offer up a permanent solution.

The trio at the back remained still and watchful. They didn't toast. They didn't move. Interesting.

A few moments later the level of noise in the bar went back to normal and Riddick returned to his drink. Looked like it wasn't so interesting after all.

Then one of the trio walked over with an empty cup and stood between Riddick and the man who'd made the toast. Riddick's Chinese was getting better but the dark haired man in the brown coat spoke his order to fast for Riddick to understand it. Besides, his girl hadn't been much of a drinker. She was only sixteen after all.

"You didn't toast," the dark haired man murmured lowly. Riddick felt movement behind him and knew the woman that had been at the back table was creeping towards them.

"Neither did you," Riddick growled back.

The dark haired man smirked. "The Alliance and I…well, we ain't too friendly."

"Neither am I," Riddick shook his head and sipped at his whiskey. "You got a point to this chat?"

"Nope," the man shook his head. "Just thought it was a bit interestin'."

Riddick snorted and shook his head.

"Yer coat's kinda brown," the burly man suddenly broke in. "You one 'o them Independents, boy?"

The dark haired man turned to face the other. "And if I was?" He asked in a cool voice. Riddick shook his head in sardonic amusement.

The burly man straightened his back and stared into the dark haired man's eyes. "Then I'd call you a coward to yer face."

The dark haired man's shoulders tensed and he slowly and carefully set down the drink he had in his hand. "Pardon?"

The burly man's eyes flicked to Riddick over the dark haired man's shoulder. "You too, boy. I say yer both dirty, yellow bellied cowards and they shoulda put all you Independents down like the dogs ya are."

Riddick felt that itching on the back of his neck that always came before a good fight. He couldn't help the dark grin that spread across his lips. Looks like he'd be getting that chance for a permanent solution after all. He set his glass down and rested his forearms on the bar.

"Well, that does sound like a challenge," the dark haired man said slowly. "Is it?"

"You dumb and a coward, boy?" The burly man pressed a step closer.

"Smarter than you," was the answer. "See I'm just stallin'. Had to give her time to get behind ya. But…"

The burly man spun around quickly and the dark skinned woman clocked him with a great big pistol. "Independents don't hit people in the back," she finished for the dark haired man. "Not iffen we can help it."

Riddick let out a dark chuckle, the woman was all kindsa interesting. Her voice had been nearly completely stoic but the light in her eyes telegraphed her enjoyment. His eyes flitted to the third member of their party and Riddick frowned. The big man was sitting back with his hands resting on the table, a cigar between his teeth.

"Jayne?" The dark haired man called out. "Lookin' like we got a situation here," the bar was silent and then there was the sound of scraping chairs as men stood up. "You got a notion ta give us a hand?"

The big man grinned and clapped his hands together. "There ya are. I done gave you a hand, Cap. I didn't fight in no war and I ain't gonna."

"Shiny," sarcasm rang thick in the dark haired man's voice. Riddick tilted his head at the big man. Backup then, he nodded to himself. The idiot drunks in the bar had already dismissed the big man as a threat so they weren't watching him. Stupid.

The burly man finally got up from the floor and shook his head like a dog. "Get 'em!" He shouted.

Riddick turned around and watched in interest as the man and woman braced themselves and then started throwing punches in tandem. He found himself impressed despite himself. They were an excellent team. The soldiers advanced as a unit and Riddick grinned. Let the dark haired man and the dark skinned woman deal with the drunks he had a hankerin' to deal with some damn, torturing, asswipes of a military. They'd learn just what it meant to take his woman away and let her think he was dead. It was the only reason she wouldn't have left him some kind of message. Well, he'd find her and here was his first step.

His shivs spun into his hands almost without thought. "Fun times."

The dark haired man glanced over his shoulder and frowned. "Knives? For a bar brawl?" His elbow met one drunk's nose as he asked.

Riddick shrugged and cracked his neck. "Soldiers," he motioned to the men in the uniforms. "They took somethin' special from me and I aim ta find out where she is."

The brown eyes widened a bit and then he nodded. "Carry on then. Have fun. We'll keep these guys offa ya."

Riddick grinned quickly. "Much obliged."

**A/N: So there you go. A new story started. Hopefully it has potential. And yes after the fight Mal invites Riddick to join the boat. Let me know what you think.**


	2. Xunlei Ertong

**Chapter One: Xùnléi Ertóng**

Riddick loved the Black. Always had. He loved the silence and vastness of it. Comfort and danger in a single glance. "Rick!" Mal's voice called out to him over the coms. "Quit gawkin' and get to work!"

Riddick snorted. "I could always put on my own suit and come pull your hose out fer ya," he threatened without any heat.

"Yeah, but you won't," Mal answered easily. "You don't wanna deal with a pissed off Zoe or a cryin' Kaylee so I figure I'm safe enough."

"'M goin' soft, is what I am," Riddick muttered and leaned a shoulder on the wall beside the airlock. "Compartment's open and ready, Mal."

"Good to go," Mal answered and then turned his attention to the vault on the derelict ship.

"I don't think you're goin' soft, Rick," Kaylee's bright voice said from his side. He turned his head and tilted it in question. "You done skint that purplebelly last week, I heard. He didn't know nothin' but…well, you ain't soft." Her sunny smile took any insult from the words.

Riddick lifted the specs from his eyes so he could see her face better in the dim light of the cargo bay. "How in the gorram hell did you find out about that, mei mei (little sister)?"

Her grin grew and gained a bit of mischievousness as well. "I got my ways, ge ge (big brother). And I ain't tellin' what they is."

Riddick scowled his fiercest scowl and was unsurprised when it did little more than make Kaylee giggle. "Gorram brat," he muttered.

"Aw, you love me," Kaylee giggled again.

Before Riddick could confirm or deny the accusation alarms blared through the ship. He slapped his hands over his ears and Kaylee scurried off towards the engine room. Riddick flipped his comm back on in time to hear Mal ordering the ship to go dark.

Riddick stood in the darkness passively, one hand on the airlock controls and the other fingering his shivs. He'd be ready whatever happened though he was fairly sure that the dumbass Alliance cruiser would just fly on by.

"Mal, we're humped," Wash's voice rang through the comms. Riddick was already cycling the airlock doors open before Mal drew breath to answer.

"Got 'em, Wash," Riddick said a few moments later as Mal, Jayne and Zoe touched down inside the airlock with the crates from the derelict ship.

"Let's go, Wash," Mal's voice came over the comm as they bumped gently to the floor with the return of gravity.

"Let's moon 'em," Jayne grinned.

"Hold on," Wash said and Riddick grasped one of the struts as _Serenity_ sped away from the derelict and the cruiser.

Riddick picked up one of the crates after his body had adjusted to the increased speed and headed for the smuggler's hold along the side of the cargo bay. "What did we get anyway?" He asked Mal.

"Protein bars iffen those manifests were right."

Riddick grunted in acknowledgement. "Jayne, come help me put these up," he called to the big man.

"Leave one out," Mal ordered. "I wanna inspect our…appropriated cargo. Make sure it's what it says it is."

"You do that an' I'll go rustle up some grub," Riddick agreed. "It's almost dinnertime an' I'm starvin'."

"Sounds good," Mal nodded. "Best get on that."

Riddick smirked and loped up the stairs to the galley. He listened quietly to the conversations going on around the ship and shook his head to himself. He had no idea how these people and this ship had wormed their way into his heart but they had. There was a lot he'd do to keep them safe. And there wasn't much they wouldn't do to help him out. He'd find his River sooner or later and then they'd fly away with Mal and the crew to new adventures and a happier life. It was the only hope he had left to cling to. He had to find her.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

A single discordant note in a symphony. What was it? Why was it wrong? Such a small thing. Something that wouldn't be noticed but…she heard it. Somehow.

She? What is a she? Who was she? So many questions. What were the answers? Everything was so fuzzy. So soft. So slow. Why? Should it be this way?

Deep within the mind of a girl under sedation for cryo sleep a tiny spark began to wake. To sleep like this was to be vulnerable. The girl couldn't be vulnerable. Bad things happened then. The spark of thought became agitated and struggled to wake the body of the girl. The drugs pulled the body back down into their arms. _Sleep, _they whispered. _Sleep._

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

Riddick hated the Eavesdown Docks. They were dusty, noisy and smelled awful. Fuel, different cargos and the unwashed bodies of spacers who were more concerned with saving water than hygiene made the air more foul than it needed to be. But, it was a bustling place and that meant information among other things.

He leaned against the hull as the ramp lowered to the ground and stared out at the mass of people. Somewhere, maybe here, someone knew something about his girl. Maybe he'd get lucky this time. The WAVE from Kàn Dàole Wèilái was promising.

"You need me for the meet with Badger, Captain?" He asked in a low voice as footsteps approached.

Mal stopped next to him and cocked his head to the side. "Might could do without ya, Rick. Why? You find out somethin' 'bout your girl?"

Riddick cut his eyes towards Mal and then away. "Maybe. Not rightly sure but a contact of mine wants to see me."

Mal nodded easily. "Best go see 'em then. Know your first priority is her. Just lemme know iffen I gotta take you somewhere."

"I'll pay for the fuel if you do," Riddick murmured his thoughts already on Kàn and what the old man wanted him for. "Might could be a job too."

"A job'd be welcomed, o'course but it ain't necessary, Rick an' I ain't worrying about the fuel. We'll make do. If you get any information on her then you get back here and we'll follow it up." Mal said forcefully. "Get gone now. I'll let the others know."

Riddick nodded silently and headed down the ramp. He turned slightly at the bottom and looked back up at the dark haired captain that had given him a home and taken on burdens not his own. "Thanks Mal," he said simply.

Mal nodded and Riddick melted into the crowd.

"Where's he goin'?" Jayne suddenly asked from behind Mal. "We got a meet ta git to and he runs off?"

"Bi jweh," Mal said mildly. "He's doin' what's gotta be done. This shouldn't take too long. Put us down for departure in about three hours..."

Mal's voice faded out as Riddick drifted further away.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

Again the discordant note rang. The spark of life, of consciousness, of the mind of the girl fought harder. _Find it!_ The spark screamed as loud as it could.

So many. So much. Too many thoughts. No sense in the cacophony bombarding her. The spark fled back to the depths. It wasn't time yet.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

The smell of burning incense in Kàn's shop made his nose itch but he ignored it. "Mornin' Su," he greeted the young woman behind the counter. "He in?"

"Shi," the woman nodded her dark hair swinging over her ears. "He waits for you in the back, Mr. Richard."

Riddick nodded his thanks and made his way to the curtain separating the front and back of the store. "Kàn?" He called softly.

"You are late, Xùnléi Ertóng (Child of Thunder)," an old man's voice answered from the shadows.

Riddick leaned against the wall and stared into the shadows were the voice had come from. "Didn't know I was on a time limit, old man."

The old man chuckled. "Life is finite even for one such as you, Furyan," there was the rustle of cloth as Kàn stepped from the shadows and made his way to a work bench along the back wall. "Everything has a time limit."

Riddick didn't stiffen at the use of his race; he was far too used to Kàn after a year or so of knowing the man. "You said you had information about her." He said in a tense voice. His heart rate had sped up on the appearance of the old man. Something, maybe Shiryah, told him that the old man finally knew something about River. He couldn't stop the hope from welling within his chest.

"Yesss," Kàn hissed without turning around. Riddick heard the small sound of metal clinking against metal. "Information about your River. There was quite a bit of unprecedented activity on Liann Juin in the past week. Ships docking and leaving with military accompaniments. More than ever before. As though they had lost something and were trying to find it." Kàn finally turned to face him. "Your search is almost over, Xùnléi Ertóng. Soon you will be reunited with your heart. Then you will bring her to me. There is much she must learn and I must show her the way through the darkness."

Riddick straightened and strode over to stand in front of Kàn. "Where is she?" He asked tightly. "Do you know where she is now?"

Kàn shook his head regretfully and held out his closed fist to Riddick. "She is hidden from me again," he said. "But she will find you soon. I don't know when but soon, Richard. Take these for her. Give them to her as soon as you find her. They will help." Riddick held out his hand and a necklace with four metal charms dropped from Kàn's hand to his palm. "Protection, Healing, Strength, and Calm. She will need all of those. Don't forget," Kàn murmured and turned back to his table. "Bring her to me."

Riddick sighed and turned away. "Infuriating old man," he muttered under his breath as he passed back through the curtain. "Always riddles. I fucking hate riddles." He ignored Su's giggle as he strode out into the dust and sun of Persephone and headed back to the ship.


	3. Awakening

**Chapter Two: Awakening**

She fought her way to consciousness again. Memories swarmed through her mind like bees. She didn't know if they were her own or someone else's. It was so hard to tell the difference sometimes. She knew things and didn't know how she knew them. So many thoughts. Were they hers? If they weren't then who did the thoughts belong too? How could she tell?

She knew she was a girl. She knew she was missing something…someone. Who? Where did he go? He? Who was he?

She needed to find him. She needed to know.

The note was off. Just a bit. Something missing. Something not quite right. The symphony was incomplete. Where was the missing note? The discordance?

The symphony was all. They symphony of she and…him. His part was missing. His instruments were silent. Where? He had to be there. She wasn't whole without his notes. She wasn't a girl without him. What was she?

Eyes of silver. Him? Her? Who? Whose eyes? Such a look in them. Love, affection, pain.

Oh. Grief gripped the girl drowning out all the thoughts, emotions and music. He was gone forever. They had killed him. Because he loved her. Because he was her friend. They had taken him. The pain was almost worse than it had been the first time. She had forgotten him.

She let the sedative pull her back from awareness. Life was too hard without him there to make it make sense for her.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

"Gorram riddles and puzzles," Riddick muttered for the thousandth time as he shoved his way through the crowd around the Eavesdown Docks.

There had once been a time when people had cowered away from him. He could recall those days with something like fondness here in this system that didn't know him. It had been strange at first and difficult to adjust to but he'd come to like the fact that here he wasn't a mass murderer. He missed the tang of fear on the air a bit but he liked that someone as pure and innocent as Kaylee had no compunctions about attacking him with hugs and smiles. Still, on days like today he wished people recognized him and cleared paths for him.

"Rick," Kaylee's sunny happy voice called a greeting to him as he finally made it to the relative peace and quiet around _Serenity_. "Did you find out anything?"

Riddick glared at her through the tinted specs. "Only more riddles," he growled.

Kaylee frowned a bit and reached out to pat his arm. "I'm sorry, ge ge (big brother)." Then she used the hand still on his arm for balance and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Don't worry. We'll find her soon enough."

Riddick shook his head and his glare lessened. "I know," he said softly. He drew in a breath. "I got you a present," he announced suddenly.

"You did?" Kaylee squealed and bounced on her toes. "What? What'd you get me, Rick? C'mon! Gimme!"

Riddick couldn't help the chuckle that passed his lips. "You're worse than a five-year-old at Christmas, mei mei (little sister)."

Kaylee pouted up at him playfully. "Please?" She pleaded and held her hands out. "Pretty please?"

"All right, all right," Riddick sighed and dug into the bag he'd been carrying. He pulled out something and hid it in his hand. "Close your eyes," he ordered and she did as bid. Riddick gently placed the object in her cupped hands. "You can open 'em now."

Kaylee opened her eyes and stared down at the purple plum in her hands. "A plum? You found plums?" Her voice was breathless with awe.

Riddick nodded a bit uncomfortably. "I got one for each of us," he admitted. "I tried to find some strawberries but the vendor didn't have any left."

Kaylee threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "You're the best ge ge ever!" She exclaimed.

Riddick chuckle deep in his chest and patted her back. "You're welcome, mei mei," he murmured.

A throat cleared uncomfortably off to the side of the pair and they both turned to look. "Sorry to interrupt, Miss," the young man that addressed them sent a shiver of recognition up Riddick's spine and his shoulders stiffened. "You said that you'd be able to have someone load my belongings?"

Kaylee let go of Riddick and turned to face the young man. "Hey Simon," she greeted him happily. "Sure thing. Rick, this is one of our passengers. He's a doctor."

Rick nodded to the newcomer. The doctor stared at him for a moment and then seemed to dismiss him from his mind. "My belongings are fragile so if you could…" he hesitated.

Riddick grunted and headed up the ramp. "I'll get Wash," he told Kaylee.

"Thanks," Kaylee grinned brightly and then turned to the doctor. "So…why you wanna go to Boros?"

Riddick tuned them out and scanned the dim interior of the cargo bay for the pilot. "Wash?" He called. There was no answer so Riddick sighed and hit the button for the shipwide comm. "Wash, we got cargo to load."

"We hear and obey, O Fearless One," Wash's voice crackled through the comm in the tones that he usually used when he'd been playing with his dinosaurs.

"You're hilarious," Riddick snorted and then turned as Wash clattered down the steps to the bay. "Head's up, funny man." He dug out another plum and tossed it to the blond man.

Wash caught the small shape without thought and then stared down at it in awe. After a few breaths he looked up from his hands and grinned at Riddick. "If I wasn't a happily married man I might kiss you." He stated boldly.

Riddick took an involuntary step back and held up his hands in a warding off gesture. "But ya are so you keep them nasty ass lips away, Wash," he said in a low growl. "You know what Zoe would do to both of us iffen she heard that?"

Wash grinned and nodded. "Laugh," he said with certainty. "And demand that she get to watch."

Riddick cocked his head in thought and then nodded and sighed in a resigned way. "Probably," he agreed. He headed up the steps as Wash seated himself in the mule. "I'll go put this stuff away. Give me a yell iffen you need any help."

"Sure thing, Rick," Wash called back and drove the mule from the bay.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

It was quieter now. Less thoughts pushing in at her. But she clung to her sleep. She had no wish to be in a world without him in it.

_We grieve when the fighting's done, girl, _his voice reminded her.

The spark in her mind grew with her anger. They would pay. She would find them and they would pay in blood for his.

She would abide for now. But soon, soon she would wake and then the work began. She would find them. She would avenge him.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

Riddick hurried back down the stairs to the cargo bay after putting his purchases in cold storage. Jayne was off on the meet and Wash would need his help putting the crates of belongings away whether he would admit it or not. He'd found the easiest way to not offend the pilot's pride was to just do whatever needed doing without comment. It didn't always work but more often than not it did.

He kept one eye on Kaylee as she stood on the ramp next to the doctor. What the Hell had she said his name was? Silar, Sylas, Simon, that was it, Simon something. He watched another man trip up the ramp and shook his head. Clumsy ass fool.

A scent caught his attention and he cocked his head as he stacked the crates against the wall. The clumsy fool smelled of lies, deceit and danger. He cursed inside his head and tried to think of a way to get the man to leave the ship or kill him without raising anyone's suspicions. Maybe he'd just wait until they were in the Black. If he could get the man alone and find out what and who he really was then he'd be able to talk Mal around.

Kaylee's small sound of pleasure drew his gaze and her smile nearly blinded him. Mal and the others were back then. Kaylee was always happy to see everyone even if they'd only been gone a few minutes.

Riddick kept one eye on what he was doing and the other on Kaylee introducing Mal to the doctor. The barely restrained sneer on the doctor's face registered to both Mal and Riddick. That was not going to go down well with Mal. Mal ignored it though…mostly and only welcomed the man aboard _Serenity._

Riddick tuned them out as he studied the Core doctor. Prissy, soft, and lying about something. Wonderful.

The Preacher smelled of lies as well. But his were old…dusty almost. Still even old lies could come back to haunt a body. They could come back around and bite everyone on the ass. This was gonna be a fun trip. With a voyage Corewards after it. Mal was gonna hit the roof.

"Rick?" Mal's voice was quiet, not a whisper but not a normal volume either. "What'd you find out?"

"Liann Juin," Riddick said just as softly. "But she's maybe gone from there. Still should go have a look. Tanks is full up so's we can head that way after Boros iffen you're willing."

Mal grimaced at the mention of the Core World. "An' iffen we ain't willin' to head towards the Core and the gorram Feds? An' what you mean the tanks is full?" He glared at the shorter bald man. "You done paid for them to be filled didn't you?"

Riddick shot him a wry glance before rolling his eyes and shrugging. "Then we shake hands on Boros and be on our merries." He gave out a huff of amusement. "What? You think I'm gonna be mad cuz you don't like the Core. I wouldn't go there iffen I didn't need to. I ain't gonna go off iffen you don't wanna take me into what might just be a fight that you don't stand a chance of winning."

Mal sniffed a bit in derision. "Like we'd just let you go off on your own into certain death. We'll take you to Liann Juin once we're finished on Whitefall and Boros. An' we'll be having a talk about you takin' liberties with my ship. Yer crew. Ain't your responsibility to fuel her up."

Riddick eyes rolled again. "Much obliged and sure we will, Mal. I'm still gonna fill _Serenity_ up iffen it looks like we gotta make a run for my purposes with no job at either end," he growled out and then stopped and turned to Mal. "Whitefall?" He asked with just a note of incredulousness in his tone.

Mal scowled. "Don't you start too," he ordered. "You weren't even workin' for me then. How'd you find out?"

"Zoe told me 'bout Patience the first month I was flyin' with you. I'm the closest thing you got to a medic. Zoe reckoned it was need to know." Riddick explained with a dark, sardonic grin. "Funny as all Hell too."

Mal grumbled under his breath and headed towards the stairs to join Zoe. Riddick smirked and then sighed. He'd better triple check the Med Supplies. There was no telling what trouble Mal would get them into this time.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

It was the drums that finally fully woke her mind. The pounding beat throbbed through her blood. Moved it faster and faster and hotter through her veins. Forced the drugs that kept her asleep through her system. The cacophony of sound that only she could hear played along her senses and demanded that she awake and pay attention.

She knew somehow that she was not yet fully awake, no matter how her body was demanding that she take action at the sound of the drums. She was not asleep either. She was somewhere in between. Somewhere in the twilight where she could hear the drums and their accompanying melodies from other instruments but not respond to them. Nor could she distinguish them into individual notes.

She felt weak and stupid. She knew it was only the drugs and the long sleep that made her feel that way but she still hated it. There was something important in the pounding drums that she couldn't quite grasp. The underlying music was carrying a message that she couldn't interpret and it was driving her nuts.

_Ignore the noise and concentrate, wǒ de xiǎo ài (my little love)._ She heard his voice tell her. She always heard him. Even though he was no longer there she still heard his voice in her mind. And it always broke her heart that little bit more.

She tried to do as he'd bid her so many times in the past but the drugs pumping through her blood stopped her efforts cold. She giggled in her head at the irony of that. She knew she was supposed to be deep in cryo sleep.

A fragment of a memory. A face. Simon. Simon had come for her. To rescue her. But it was too late. She wasn't the girl he remembered anymore. And her Warrior was gone forever leaving her broken beyond all redemption.

_Distraction will get you killed, ni zi (little girl)._ His voice again drifted through her consciousness. She huffed at it in exasperation. Maybe that's what she was hoping for.

She could hear his wordless growl at her but she ignored it. He was gone. Dead. Left her forever to the voices and sounds in her own head. Left her alone and nearly helpless. He had no right to order her around anymore. Even if his voice was only a memory in her head.

The drums beat a little louder and she let the throbbing flow through her. Let it heat her blood and speed her heart. She didn't like cryo in the first place. Now with all the warrior drums beating around her she liked it even less. She should be with them. Fighting, dying, living, whichever. She was a warrior with her own drums and she wanted to match to theirs. The drums told her they would fight with and for her. They weren't like the others. They weren't like the Silent Ones, the Hands of Blue, or the feeble ones, the Teachers and Doctors. True warriors surrounded her, called to her.

Soon she would join the symphony outside of her box. Soon she would once again be a part of a whole. But for now she would lie inside her prison of cryo sleep and drugs and wait. Wait for one of them to wake her. And one of them would. Long before Simon thought wise. They would pull the girl from her box and set her free again. All would be well…or as well as it could be without her Warrior.

Her heart ached but she ignored it. Her Warrior may not be outside her box but he would always be in her heart and head. And she would rain vengeance down on those that had taken him from her. Eventually.


	4. Passengers and Cargo

**Passengers and Cargo**

"Ladies and gentlemen we have left Persephone and are now in the Black. Will all personnel and passengers please gather in the galley? Thank you and welcome aboard _Serenity."_ Wash's voice crackled over the comm and Riddick shook his head. The Med Bay was as stocked as he could make it and they were thankfully not running short on anything.

Taking a deep breath Riddick prepared himself to face the stench of lies in the galley. That was the only problem with running with this particular crew. Mal was so steeped in emotional pain and lies that when Mal started thinking about certain things it was almost unbearable to be around him. Every single member of the crew was hiding something. Well, except Kaylee. That girl couldn't hide anything to save her life. The crew's secrets weren't harmful or bad really except to themselves. Still, sometimes it made it hard on him to be around them no matter how used to it he'd become.

With the added stench of the three travelers this trip was going to be nearly unbearable. He probably could have handled the preacher but the other two set his teeth on edge. Whatever they were hiding it was big and most likely a danger to his crew. Something would have to be done. The only question was what? Mal would be really put out if he just killed the two men without any evidence aside from his sense of smell. He'd need to think on it.

Riddick stood with his back to the wall behind the rest of the crew as Mal addressed their passengers. He watched each man to note their reactions to Mal's overrehearsed speech. They'd need to either start picking up passengers more often so that Mal could get some practice at being genial or stop taking any altogether. Personally, Riddick voted for the second choice.

"So meals are taken up here, in the dining area," Mal told them. Riddick hid his smile at Mal's uncomfortableness. "Kitchen's pretty much self-explanatory." The doctor looked around him with a faint hint of distaste around his mouth and eyes. Boy had probably never even been in a kitchen. "You're welcome to eat what there is any time, long as it isn't marked with someone's name anyway," Mal caught Riddick's eye and nodded just a bit.

Riddick was grateful for the clarification. Since coming to this universe he'd found a few foodstuffs that just didn't sit right with his Furyan digestion. The last thing he wanted while they had passengers was to break out in red sores or become incoherent and see things because he'd eaten something that reacted badly with his DNA. It hadn't been a fun experience before and he wasn't anxious to try it again.

"What there is, is pretty standard fare, I guess. Protein in all the colors of the rainbow." Mal continued. He either ignored or didn't see the moue of disgust both the doctor and the salesman made. Riddick held back a snort at them. Fancy core boy doctor he could almost understand but the other one? Yeah his reaction didn't fit with his story at all. "We do have sit down meals—next one being at about 1800."

"I think Shepherd Book and Rick have offered to help me prepare something," Kaylee told everyone with a soft smile.

Richard groaned loudly as he knew their passengers expected him too. "Do I have to?" He growled out. "I hate cookin'." His own lie tasted like paint on his tongue. He didn't like lying but he'd do it to keep the passengers in the dark.

"You wanna eat then you help out," Mal rolled his eyes at Rick and then turned to the Shepherd. "You're a shepherd?" His voice carried just a hint of wariness. Mal didn't like anything to do with God. The way he saw things God had betrayed him once and he wasn't going to give the Big Guy another chance. On that he and Riddick were in complete agreement.

"I thought the outfit gave it away," Book grinned amiably. The grin slowly faded. "Is it a problem?"

"Of course not," Kaylee said before either of the two men could say anything. "It's not a problem, cuz it's not." She threw Riddick and Mal a look daring them to disagree with her. Riddick wanted no part of Kaylee being mad at him so he just crossed his arms over his chest and slouched back against the bulkhead. Mal shuffled his feet for a moment and then sighed.

"No," Mal directed to the shepherd. "As I said, you're welcome to visit the dining area anytime. Apart from that, I have to ask you to stay in the passenger dorm while we're in the air." The doctor stiffened at this news and Riddick turned most of his attention to the boy. His body language and scent spoke of nervousness and worry. "The bridge, engine room, cargo bay—they're all off limits without an escort."

"Some of my personal effects are in the cargo bay," the doctor said with studied casualness. Riddick nearly sneezed at the pepper smell of his lie. He was really starting to dislike this doctor and damned if he could remember the boy's name.

Mal noted the forced nonchalance and his eyes flicked to Riddick. Riddick nodded slightly. He'd keep a very close eye on the kid.

Mal pasted on a smile. "I figure you all got luggage you're gonna need to get into," he informed the passengers. "Soon as we're done here, we'll be happy to fetch 'em with you." Mal straightened and took a step away from the counter he'd been leaning against. "Now, I have to tell you all one other thing and I apologize in advance for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, we've been ordered by the Alliance to drop some medical supplies off on Whitefall." Dobson stiffened a bit this time and Jayne nodded at Mal flick of the eyes to him. Looked like both gunhands had babysitting assignments this trip. "It's the fourth moon of Athens. It's a little out of our way, but we should have you on Boros no more than a day off schedule."

"What medical supplies?" The doctor asked curiously. Damn nosy bastard. Didn't he understand that out here in the Black and on the Rim people kept their secrets and others didn't pry? Riddick wondered. Being from the Core, he probably didn't get that small fact of life. People on the Core were notoriously gossipy.

Mal stared at the doctor for a long moment and then shrugged. "I honestly didn't ask," he said. His tone was hard and did not encourage further questioning.

Zoe took a step forward to stand beside Mal and gazed at the doctor. "It's probably plasma, insulin—whatever they ain't got enough of on the border moons," she told him in a knowledgeable voice.

Mal shot the doctor a wry look. "Alliance says jump…" Mal let the quote go unfinished.

The doctor gazed at Mal half confused and half disbelieving but the kid must have decided to leave it alone because all he said was: "All right."

Mal turned to regard Zoe. "Zoe, Rick, you want to take them to the cargo bay?" He ordered more than asked.

"Yes sir," they both assented.

"Anything else you need, just ask," Mal commented to the passengers as Zoe motioned for them to follow her. "We, uh, live to serve." Riddick nearly snorted in laughter. If any of them bought that line then they were a lot dumber than they looked.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

Riddick watched the doctor closely if subtly as he gathered a few toiletries from his baggage. The only suspicious thing the doc did was continue to keep his eyes locked on one of his boxes. That could bear some investigating. What was in that box that was so very important?

The clumsy salesman whose name Riddick hadn't heard tripped over the doc and Riddick heard Jayne's soft snort behind him. Both men were taking their babysitting duties seriously. Though Jayne didn't see the point. The salesman was a klutz and seemed a bit slow on the uptake. Jayne didn't think he was any kind of a threat but Riddick knew the biggest threat was the one you didn't recognize until it slit your throat.

Book grabbed a few foodstuffs from his luggage and delivered them to Kaylee. Kaylee grinned happily as she accepted them.

Inara came on board and Riddick studiously avoided looking in her direction. Mal was touchy about the companion. Really touchy. He was going to do something stupid and Riddick couldn't afford to burst into laughter while he was trying to do his job. Mal was an idiot when it came to Inara and he always found it spectacularly amusing.

Eventually everyone left the cargo bay and Riddick stood on the catwalk staring at the box that had been the focus of the doctor's attention. It was just a crate, he tried to tell himself. Except he didn't believe it. The crate seemed innocuous but inside was something the doc thought was important. Riddick had a strange feeling it was more than important. Something in that box was precious and he aimed to find out what it was.


	5. Finding Her

**Finding Her**

Riddick trailed the doc back towards the passenger cabins and then veered off towards the galley. He needed to talk to Mal. He'd need to talk the other man into letting him take a peek into that crate.

"You seen the captain?" He asked Kaylee.

Kaylee shook her head and grinned at him. "Look Rick," she held out a hand. "Shepherd Book brought some strawberries. Want one?"

Riddick pulled the berry from her fingers and smirked at the Shepherd. "So that's why I couldn't find any at the market," he commented before biting the berry in two. "It's good." He nodded. "I'll be back to help in a bit. Gotta find the cap first."

"I believe I saw him heading towards his quarters," Book put in helpfully. He held out a hand to shake. "Shepherd Book, Mr…"

Riddick eyed the hand for a moment and then grasped it in his own. "Jus' call me Rick," he intoned. "Ever'body does."

Book nodded easily. "And I am called Book," he smiled pleasantly.

Riddick let his hand go and headed for the crew quarters to find Mal. Book made him feel just a little uncomfortable. There was something about that Shepherd that was different.

"An interesting man," Book commented to Kaylee as they watched Riddick walk away. "A most interesting man. Now," Riddick heard his hands clap together. "Let's see what spices I have, shall we?"

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

"Mal," Riddick said lowly to the captain as he passed him on the stairs from the crew cabins up to the galley and passenger area. "I need some alone time in the hold." He gave a quick glance around to make sure that doctor and the salesman weren't anywhere nearby.

Mal stared at him for one long moment and then smirked in genuine amusement. "I do believe you have a bunk fer that sorta thing, Rick." He leaned one shoulder on the bulkhead and fixed Riddick with a knowing look and sparkling eyes.

Riddick frowned at him even as a curl of amusement danced within him. "You think yer so funny," he growled in mock offense. "No, the doc's hidin' somethin' in that box a his. I aim to find out what it is." He eyed Mal as the other man's countenance lost its humor and became more serious. He smirked a bit in satisfaction. "Now you gonna keep them passengers outta there so's I can have me a look or am I gonna lock 'em in their cabins?"

Mal leaned against the railing and grinned a bit maliciously. "You mean you ain't gonna just shiv him and take the box? I am impressed, Rick. Yer growin' as a person." His voice was sarcastic but Riddick could hear the underlying pride. It was rather disconcerting that this man had a bit of paternal pride for him. He knew that Mal didn't actively see him as a son but sometimes the feelings scented his skin.

Riddick casually leaned against the other bulkhead and pulled out one of his knives. He flicked his thumb against the edge and leveled a look at Mal from behind his tinted glasses. He hated wearing the damn things on the boat but with the passengers he had no choice. "Well, I ain't kilt you yet so I think I'm makin' progress." He grinned toothily.

Mal eyed the knife and the blood thirsty grin, straightened and stepped to the side so that the salesman could make his way past them towards the galley. "You can come to dinner late, Rick, so's you can take care of that issue we were speakin' of," he told Riddick. "An' put that away before you scare someone."

Riddick hadn't missed the way the salesman had skirted around him without taking his eyes off of the knife in Riddick's hand. "You just take the fun outta everythin'," Riddick complained loudly. "I ain't kilt anyone in a week, Captain. A whole gorram week."

Mal and Riddick both saw the doc's eyes widen and his steps slowed for a moment before he too hurried past them. Mal rolled his eyes and then leaned on the railing next to Riddick. "Take a comm with you and use it," he ordered. "Iffen it's dangerous…space it. Or hide it iffen it's valuable."

Riddick nodded, he'd more than half expected that instruction. "An' iffen it's both?"

Mal sighed in exasperation and rolled his eyes at Riddick. "Well, that'd be why yer takin' a comm with you." He shook his head at Riddick's deliberate obliviousness and headed away from the hold.

**RR/RT RR/RT RR/RT**

Riddick hid himself in the shadows outside the galley and listened as the crew and passengers settled in for dinner. He leaned against the bulkhead and waited. He wanted everyone engrossed in the food before he made a move for that crate.

It didn't take very long. "I'm goin' now," he whispered into the comm. "Keep 'em busy."

"Sure thing, Rick," Wash answered. The others were all in the galley with the passengers and so couldn't answer him. Not that he'd expected them too. "Be careful," Wash warned him. "You never know it could be a dinosaur or something."

Riddick chuckled as he descended the stairs to the hold. "It'd be a pretty tiny dinosaur, Wash." He stopped for a moment and listened in the silence of the hold. He could hear the conversation up in the galley but no one was down here.

Feeling an anticipation that he had no explanation for Riddick crept up to the crate. He pushed aside a box that had somehow appeared on top of it he studied the crate. His brow furrowed in thought and then he gasped. "Go se!" He cursed. "Send me Jayne, Mal. It's a cryo box. The kind they use to ship slaves."

He heard Mal's low growl. Jayne said something crude about Kaylee wishing the doctor was a gynecologist. Riddick's brow furrowed again. There was no call to upset Kaylee too. Mal took the opening and sent Jayne away from the table. Riddick studied the controls of the box while he waited for the other man.

Jayne's loud steps on the metal stairs soon heralded his arrival. "What did you need me fer, Rick?" Jayne asked and came to a stop next to the shorter man.

"See these?" Riddick asked and tapped some glowing numbers on the top of the box. Jayne nodded. "Means the box is timed. Looks like it ain't supposed to open until Boros."

"Rick," Jayne started hesitantly. "Ya need Kaylee fer this. I ain't exactly mechanically inclined. I don't have no idea how ta open this here box."

Riddick shook his head. "I can open it," he assured the taller man. "But…whoever is in here has a really good chance of goin' into shock once we pull them out. I need you to close it back up while I get 'em up to the med bay." Jayne started to shake his head. "I'll show you what to do an' then you just need ta do it." He turned his head and stared into Jayne's eyes. "We have to hide this person. This is a slave box, Jayne. Slavers is the worst of the worst an' you know it."

Jayne shook his head again and backed up a step. "Where we gonna hide 'em? There ain't nowhere on this boat that'll keep 'em safe while we deal with the doc. Med bay's got glass walls."

"Cap says pull 'em out," Zoe's voice came over the comm. "Keep 'em safe and we'll deal with the rest when it comes. But pull 'em out. Ain't no one allowed to bring slaves onto this ship."

"You got it, Mal," Riddick said. He pulled Jayne back over to the box and showed him how to reprogram the box once he'd taken the occupant out. "We're gonna have to be fast. Pop the box and then I'll pull 'em out and make a run for it. Hopefully, they won't scream."

Jayne nodded his head and stood to the side to catch the lid of the box. "Ready," he said with only a bit of reluctance.

Riddick flexed his fingers and shoulders and then hit the emergency release button. The lid popped open and Jayne pulled it off. They both waved at the fog that rolled out and Riddick reached for the body inside.

Inches from her flesh Riddick's hands froze and he inhaled deeply. His eyes widened behind his tinted glasses. "River," he breathed out and stared down at the girl curled in the box in shock.


End file.
